1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor device and a manufacturing method for a sensor device.
2. Description of Related Art
A sensor device for detecting a physical/chemical variable and/or for outputting appropriate information to a vehicle component generally has a sensor chip having at least one element which is sensitive to the physical/chemical variable. This type of sensor device is sometimes designed to carry out a self-test to check its internal structures, in particular the micromechanical system, of the sensitive element.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a sensor device as an example.
Sensor device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a sensor module 12 having at least one sensor chip 14, and a control module 16. Sensor module 12 is connected to control module 16 via an interface 18. At least one sensitive element 20 is provided on sensor chip 14. At least one characteristic of sensitive element 20, for example, a position of sensitive element 20 in relation to a housing of sensor device 10, may be altered when at least one variable changes in a spatial surrounding of sensor chip 14. Sensor device 10 is designed in such a way that the altered characteristic of sensitive element 20 may be detected, and a sensor signal corresponding to the variable may be output by sensor device 10.
A self-test logic unit 22 is situated on control module 16, and at least one self-test program is stored on the self-test logic unit. Self-test logic unit 22 is able to control sensor module 12, i.e., sensor chip 14, via interface 18 with the aid of a control signal 24 in such a way that a self-test variable is applied to sensitive element 20. Control signal 24 is transmitted from self-test logic unit 22 to sensor module 12 via interface 18. For a self-test, sensor module 12, i.e., sensor chip 14, is externally triggered. To measure the reaction of sensor chip 14, an actual self-test response 26 of sensitive element 20 may then be detected by sensor chip 14.
An actual self-test response 26 is also provided via interface 18 to a self-test evaluation unit 28 situated on control module 16. Self-test evaluation unit 28 is designed to compare actual self-test response 26 to at least one specified setpoint self-test response, and to output appropriate comparison information 30.